The Cursed Prince

"Sir ... let's go," Emmelyn said as she knocked on the carriage wall, signaling the coachman to start moving.

When the carriage finally started leaving the palace grounds, Mars was moved from his reverie. He then got on his horse and followed the carriage that brought Emmelyn back to his castle.

The journey for several kilometers went by so fast. Suddenly, they already arrived at the crown prince's castle gate.

The atmosphere in the castle courtyard was very quiet. All the soldiers had returned to their respective stations. Lord Gewen and Lord Edgar were also gone.

The carriage stopped in front of the castle's main entrance, and the coachman immediately helped Emmelyn get off the train. The girl paused for a moment at the castle door, looking at Mars, who still looked lost in thought. 

Since the man said nothing at all, Emmelyn could guess that along the way, he had been thinking the same thing as herself.

What if the curse had been broken? Now, the prince was a free man. What would he do?

Finally, Emmelyn decided to enter the castle and go up to the third floor, to her chamber. Today was enough to tire her out. Started by the morning shock when the queen caught them having sex in her chamber, practicing archery with the army, and then the intense afternoon tea in the palace.

What an exhausting day. She felt like lying down and sleeping until morning.

"Where are you going?"

Emmelyn's steps halted when she heard Mars's voice calling her from down the stairs. The girl turned around and looked at the man closely.

For some reason, this time, she felt there was something different about the prince's appearance.

What's so different about him? Emmelyn couldn't understand. 

What was clear was that her heart, which had been frozen by her grudge and determination to seek revenge, this time did not feel as cold as usual. She actually began to see this man in a new light.

"I'm going to my chamber and rest," said Emmelyn. This time, her voice didn't sound curt as usual.

"Would you like to sit with me and have some wine?" asked the man earnestly. "I think I need a drink."

Emmelyn was stunned at the man's words. Ah, she remembered the last time she was so upset, she drank so much wine that she finished a whole jug, but Mars didn't want to drink with her.

However, now it was the prince who offered to have a drink together. Did this mean Mars was feeling upset?

Ahh .. Emmelyn knew how good the wine in this castle was. Of course, she wouldn't say no to the best wine in the continent of Terra. The girl nodded and walked down the stairs toward the prince.

"Where do you want to have the drink?" she asked.

Mars grabbed her hand and pulled her to walk toward the dining room. Emmelyn automatically followed the man. As they walked hand in hand, she felt her chest pounding.

When Mars held her hand just now, a question suddenly arose in Emmelyn's heart. She asked herself again, what if the curse had been broken?

If that's true.. from now on, the prince's big hands would be able to hold any woman's hands if he wanted, not just Emmelyn's.

The girl glanced at their clasped hands, and for some reason, feelings of unwillingness and jealousy started to creep in her heart. 

She didn't want Mars to hold other women's hands.

When they arrived at the small dining room where they usually sat for lunch and dinner, Roshan immediately came over to his master and bowed respectfully.

"Good evening, Your Highness. Do you want to have dinner now?" he asked.

Mars shook his head. "Bring us the best wine. We want to have a drink a little before dinner."

"Yes, Your Highness."

Roshan immediately withdrew and returned not long afterward with a servant carrying a jug of Southberry's best wine and two cups. 

Respectfully, he then poured wine into each cup and withdrew.

Mars sat in one of the chairs, followed by Emmelyn. As if they shared the same mind, the two of them took one cup filled with wine in unison and drank slowly.

Nobody spoke a word.

After she finished the wine in her cup, Emmelyn was about to pour more from the jug for herself, but before she was able to touch the wine jug, Mars's hand had held her hand.

"Don't drink too much," said the man.

"But I'm feeling cold," Emmelyn protested, pursing her lips. "I want to warm my body."

"I will warm you up later," said Mars, shaking his head, his expression looking like he was reprimanding a child.

The prince's words made Emmelyn hiccup. Her cheeks instantly felt hot, and she swallowed hard.

You pervert, Emmelyn scolded him inwardly. However, she said nothing with her lips. Only her beautiful blue eyes seemed still trying to protest.

"You drink too fast, like a fish. I haven't even finished half of mine, but you want to get your second cup? Tsk..." Mars shook his head. "This wine should be sipped slowly and enjoyed. Don't you remember what you did the last time you were drunk?"

Emmelyn widened her eyes at the prince's words.

"I never get drunk," said the girl, with furrowed brows.

"You did," said Mars with a smile. This was his first smile of the day and somehow, seeing his smile all of a sudden like this, Emmelyn's chest fluttered.

Why was the devil so good looking?

This was not Emmelyn's first time to see the smile on this scummy prince's handsome face, but why did his smile look so different today? 

Mars now looked like an angel, with his handsome face, golden irises, and long hair that fell down to his shoulders.

"Do you remember when I told the cooks to make hangover soup for you in the morning?" asked the man again. "The night before, you drank so much that you finished the whole jug of wine, and then you got drunk ..."

"Gosh ..." Emmelyn pursed her lips in surprise.

She remembered that she did drink a lot because she was so upset with Mars. The prince gave her the silent treatment all day, and Emmelyn was so frustrated and annoyed.

She didn't know that she was drunk because of it. She only knew she woke up with a massive hangover and had to take the hangover soup in the morning.

Was she drunk the night before? She didn't remember anything...

Gosh.. did she do anything embarrassing when she was drunk?

"You were yelling all night and running around the yard bare naked," Mars lied. "I got tired of chasing you. You're so energetic when you were drunk. You actually surprised me there."

"Oh, my God....!!" Emmelyn was really devastated by what Mars said.

Crazy! How could she be so embarrassing when she was drunk?

Where should she hide her face from now on????

"You bastard!" The frustrated girl punched on Mars's chest several times. "How could you let me embarrass myself like that? I am the mother of your future children..."

Mars pretended to be offended when Emmelyn put the blame on him. "Hey .. I told you, I tried to chase you while carrying your clothes, but you were very energetic and hard to catch."

"Oh my God ..." Emmelyn buried her face in her hands and cried in embarrassment.

Mars just laughed at the girl's dramatic attitude. He patted the girl on the back and finally told her the truth. "Don't worry ... I'm just pulling your leg.. hehehe. It's not true. You're not running around the yard naked... hahahaha."

"I don't believe you..." said Emmelyn, who still cupped her face with her hands.

"Trust me. I just said that just to shock you, so you would tone down on the wine," said Mars finally. "I know the wine here is delicious, but that's no reason to be a drunk. You're a woman. What if you got drunk and I'm not around to look after you? What if you actually dance naked in the yard when you get drunk the next time?"

Emmelyn finally looked up and stared at the man with furrowed brows. 

"You're not lying? I wasn't embarrassing myself when I was drunk?"

Mars shook his head. "You didn't embarrass yourself when you were drunk at that time. In fact, you were adorable. But I can't guarantee that it will be like that next time ... So it's best not to take that risk if I'm not around."

Emmelyn exhaled with great relief. "Ah .. thank goodness."

SLAM!

She slammed the table to relieve her frustration, then quickly grabbed the jug and filled her cup with wine to the brim. Her actions made Mars dumbfounded.

"Hey hey.. which part of my words about you should cut down on drinking wine that you don't understand?" asked Mars in amazement.

Emmelyn just shrugged. She took a sip of the wine and answered nonchalantly. "You said I shouldn't drink too much when you are not around me. Now that you are here ... I can drink, can't I?"

Mars was stunned at the girl's words. He looked at Emmelyn who was sipping her wine again, while closing her eyes. She looked like she was enjoying wine sent from heaven.

In his heart, Mars wondered what Emmelyn's words just now meant.

So, did that mean this girl felt safe drinking wine and getting drunk, now that Mars was beside her?

Or.. was she just dumb and didn't understand his advice?

Ahh ...

Mars knew Emmelyn was not dumb.

So..

Was she feeling safe around him?

At that moment, Mars wanted to pull the cup away from Emmelyn's hand and claim her luscious lips greedily.

He would lay her down on the dining table and fondle her ... and... right there, right then.. he would...

Mars swallowed hard.